WIAW: In a New York State of Mind

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Whenever I’m in NYC, the week seems to fly by a little quicker. I don’t know how I actually lived and worked in this city for almost 4 years!

I’m back upstate for a day today, but heading back to the city tomorrow to get in on some Fashion Week action! For all the time I lived in the Big Apple, I never even stepped close to Fashion Week. It should be an interesting experience, and hopefully I’ll have a few stories to share on Monday.

But, it’s ‘What I Ate Wednesday” (WIAW) time, so let’s talk about my eats. We’ll start in NYC and make our way back to the Hudson Valley by dinner!

The weather was unbearably humid and heavy while in NYC, so I wasn’t able to run in Central Park as I had hoped. So, I fueled myself for another workout at the Ritz Carlton with breakfast + a view.

I could get used to this little view.

I could get used to this little view.

That right there is some delicious hotel coffee and a half eaten Starbucks Morning Bun (I forgot to take a picture until halfway through). Whenever I’m staying in a hotel, one of my most treasured morning routines is walking downstairs and making myself a cup of coffee. It just feels so luxurious not to have to brew it myself.

It’s the little things, my friends. Anyway, after breakfast, I walked a few blocks to the Ritz to get in a quality workout before an exhausting day of running around the city.

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Posted in: NYC, Uncategorized, WIAW, workouts \ Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

When Dogs Fly and Oreos Fry

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This weekend I had an opportunity to experience a cultural phenomenon that I had never seen before: the county fair.

I had always wanted to attend a county fair, and visions of endless amounts of fried food, farm animals and fun carnival rides flooded my mind. Luckily, the Dutchess County Fair did not disappoint.

Fried dough? Sometimes Healthy? You bet ya!

Fried dough? Sometimes Healthy? You bet ya!

Before we ate our weight in fried food, Cole got to participate in his favorite activity: dock jumping. Sometimes, the BF jumps Cole in what are called “dock diving competitions.” I had never seen this “sport” before meeting the BF, but after seeing it for the first time, I must say, it’s a whole lotta fun!

Jump, Cole Jump!

Jump, Cole Jump!

This was Cole’s “practice jump,” but for the real competition, the stands were actually packed full! There were a lot of small children in the crowd, who obviously enjoyed watching the dogs “fly.”

And, even though Cole was out of practice, he still walked away with a 3rd place medal. What a dog!

Proud puppy!

Proud puppy!

I had bought some fried pickles before the show, so the BF said we could reward him with a couple of bits of delicious fried pickles.

Fried pickles, topped with nacho cheese. #bam!

Fried pickles, topped with nacho cheese. #bam!

This was my second time eating fried pickles (the first time was in Nashville), and it seems like they taste better every time!

If you think the adventures in fried food ended there…you’re wrong

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Posted in: Hudson Valley, workouts \ Tagged: , , , , ,

WIAW: Replenishing After HOT Yoga

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Happy “What I Ate Wednesday” (WIAW)! We’ll get to the food in a minute, but first I want to cover off briefly on fitness. As you may recall, last Friday, I mentioned that I had written a post up that had somehow magically deleted.

The post was all about forcing myself out of my “fitness comfort zone” while in Boston and taking a class that I knew would be very challenging for me. I’m still going to publish that post (eventually), but in the meantime, I’m very proud to report that I ventured out of my fitness comfort zone yet again to take a 90 MINUTE hot yoga class with our German visitors.

Check out those sweat marks. HOTTT

Check out those sweat marks. HOTTT

And yep, your eyes are not deceiving you…the BF came to the class too! Clearly, out of town visitors have a big influence over us. I made sure not to sit right next to the BF because I knew I might break out laughing in the middle of the class as we admired each other’s graceful movements.

I’ve taken yoga about 6 times in my life (including 4 times for a story I wrote back in Chicago), and to put it bluntly: It’s just not my thing. Besides an extreme lack of flexibility, I generally have a hard time relaxing and focusing for long periods of time. That’s why running and circuit training are my workout “drugs of choice.” But at the same time, when I drag my restless body to a yoga class, I always feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of the class that is very different from finishing a long run or lifting a certain amount of pounds.

This class was no different, and once we made it through those 90 minutes I stated, “It would be easier for me to run 10 miles then take this class again!” Now, that’s a quality workout. I have a few more thoughts on the actual class, which I’ll share later in this post, but let’s jump into the eats for this WIAW.

Breakfast was a Chobani Coconut Yogurt, topped with blueberries, figs and slivered almonds.

What's Cho Flavor?

What’s Cho Flavor?

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Posted in: WIAW, workouts \ Tagged: , , , , ,

Finding a New Gym and a Sometimes Healthy Veggie Roast

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Most of my weekends in the summer are full of indulgence and a little bit of health (Sometimes Healthy). Between all the traveling and beer, food and wine festivals up here, the weekends are the perfect time to let loose and enjoy all that my new area has to offer.

Typical weekend spread. Cupcakes. Wine. Cheese.

Typical weekend spread. Cupcakes. Wine. Cheese.

However, this particular weekend had the perfect balance of fun and fitness. Usually time is an issue, but for some reason, this weekend we seemed to have enough to do it all! Instead of boring you with every detail, I’m going to break it down with the top 5 Sometimes Healthy Moments of the weekend.

1. Learning a “New Release” at Kickboxing

Yesterday, I finally got to find out what it meant to have a “new release” at BodyCombat. I’ve mentioned my newfound love for BodyCombat in a previous post, and luckily, it’s continued to grow every week that I take the class. I always enjoy the energy in the class, but on “new release day” it was at an even higher level!

I tried to capture it...but I'm not the best at sneaking pictures!

I tried to capture it…but I’m not the best at sneaking pictures!

I’ll be honest. In many ways, as you can probably tell, I’m a very low maintenance Sometimes Healthy Girl. Plant me in front of the TV to watch Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition with some Swedish Fish or a scoop of sprinkle-covered ice cream, and I’m a happy girl. No need to wine and dine.

But with gyms, I’ve always been different.

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Posted in: Hudson Valley, Weekends, workouts \ Tagged: , , , , , ,

A Simple Sometimes Healthy Summer Recipe

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I’m not feeling particularly inspired this Friday, but I do have a nice and easy, light recipe for you that’s perfect for a hot summer night. I also owe you a winner of my Sometimes Healthy Care Package Giveaway, so let’s just dive right in!

I think I’m trying to hold on for summer as long as I can, because yesterday, I was really craving a recipe that showcased some of my favorite summer veggies and flavors.

I started by setting the oven to 450 degrees and cutting up some squash from the local market. To me, nothing screams summer like some fresh summer squash.

Summer's best treat!

Summer’s best treat!

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Posted in: Recipes, workouts \ Tagged: , , ,

WIAW: Snap, Crackle, Pop!

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I’m proud to report that I’m feeling much better and can finally eat more than soups and ice cream! Just in time for “What I Ate Wednesday” (WIAW).

This festive edition of WIAW features not only my meals, but also a workout for your holiday weekend and a tasty cookie recipe that’s sure to be a crowd pleaser.

I have a lot to cover, so let’s dive right into breakfast!

Favorite Childhood Breakfast?

When I was younger, french toast was one of my favorite breakfasts. It always felt so luxurious! We never ate it at home, so I always ordered it when we went out to breakfast. I therefore assumed that it was very difficult to make it home.

Now, that I’m older, I realize that french toast is actually very easy to whip up, so easy that I can make it in a flash on a weekday! I dipped some wheat bread in a simple  mixture of 1/2 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup egg substitute and some cinnamon and vanilla . Then, I fried it up, and smeared it with a heaping tablespoon of butter and apple butter.

Sometime Healthy Chef Special...comin' right up!

Sometime Healthy Chef Special…comin’ right up!

Fancy breakfast in five minutes! I’m special.

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Posted in: cookies, Recipes, WIAW, workouts \ Tagged: , , , , , ,

WIAW: The Ultimate Salad

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It’s that time of the week again!

I must admit I’ve started to look forward to this whole WIAW ritual. I’m not sure how all my favorite healthy living bloggers take pictures of every single meal they eat, but for one day of the week, it’s kind of fun. Feels like a bit of a novelty if you will.

Every Tuesday, I put just a little more effort into my meals and snacks (must keep it real here – I DO try a littler harder than usual), so that I can post the on my blog Wednesday morning.

Last week, in honor of June being sensible snacking month, I shared some of my most useful Sometimes Healthy snacking tips. I’m no dietician (that is for sure), but I am a snacker by nature, so I feel that this qualifies me as an “amature expert”.

This week, I decided to use WIAW as a chance to share some tips for something else I happen to know a lot about: Salads. If you are a frequent Sometimes Healthy reader, you will notice that salads tend to make a regular appearance on the blog.

Nothing satisfies me more than a big, veggie/protein packed salad. Again, like snacking, this food habit can be traced back to my childhood days. Back then, I ate more than my fair share of chicken McNuggets, but unlike most children, I also housed my veggies and salads too.

What a dream child I was! (My mother may disagree on this point).

Anyway, as per usual salads will be featured in my WIAW, but this week, I’m going to share with you the method behind the madness of my monster salads.

Salad Collage

First, let’s do a quick run-down of the day’s meals:

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Posted in: WIAW, workouts \ Tagged: , ,

8 Minutes Arms and Back in the City!

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I’ve got a little secret to tell you. I can’t do ONE push up…at least not without doing the girlie kind, and even then, I can only do about 15. As someone who loves to run and work out, this shortcoming has always bothered me, especially when I read about all those crazy Crossfit people.

However, even without push-ups, whenever I wear a sleeveless shirt, I usually receive a compliment on my toned arms. (This is much appreciated, as my hair is usually a mess or there is some sort of food stain on my clothing.)

Hot Sweaty Mess. But, my arms don't mess around.

Hot Sweaty Mess. But, my arms don’t mess around.

As you know, I’m not one to brag. I am certainly no Cameron Diaz. However, over the years, I’ve managed to maintain the tonality in my arms with daily cardio and a very short weight-lifting routine about three to four times a week. Continue Reading →

Posted in: Exercise Motivation, favorites, workouts

Serial Spin-Dating at the Jersey Shore

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I don't workout in high heels, but I'm high maintenance with my workouts 😉

I consider myself a low-maintenance girl. (Brother Bear, if you disagree, feel free to let it out in the comments section…)

I’m easily entertained, don’t wear a lot of makeup, enjoy a Subway sandwich as much as a gourmet meal, prefer dive bars to exclusive clubs and can’t tell the difference between a $5 glass of wine and a $50 glass. Oh, and I rarely send back food. For example, during a work lunch the other day, my coworker had to force me to send back my salad, which contained an extremely molded tomato (even the server was horrified).

Low-maintenance, indeed.

But, when it comes to my workout, I’ve come to terms with the fact that I am extremely HIGH maintenance. I workout at a pricey gym, must have music on at all times and can’t stand when my clothes don’t fit just right. If any of the elements are out of sync, my workout is off, thus affecting my entire day. Continue Reading →

Posted in: Exercise Motivation, workouts

Squatting in Stilettos

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With my recent foot injury, it’s become imperative for this Sometimes Healthy Girl to diversify her workout. While I’d take a 10 miler over a spinning class every time, my stubborn foot has decided this just isn’t an option.

As you know, I’ve been to both a doctor and physical therapist to find the quickest way to heel Mr. Foot, and while both gave me a variety of tips and exercises, they agreed on one very important point: When it comes to plantars fasciitis, flats and sandals are bad and heels and wedges are much better. Go figure – all my life I figured I was damaging myself  in high heels, and it turns out, now they can help heal (no pun intended) my ailing foot.

This could get interesting...

Well, give a Sometimes Healthy Girl an inch and she’ll take a mile in 5 inch stilettos…

If the doctors want me to wear heels over flats, perhaps I should trade them for my Nikes as well? Well, that was the idea behind my unique workout last night… Continue Reading →

Posted in: Exercise Motivation, favorites, Uncategorized, workouts \ Tagged: , ,